This invention concerns a process to inhibit the thermal decomposition of N-alkylformamides by adding thereto a small amount of water.
The N-alkylformamides of interest in the method of this invention are known compounds whose numerous uses are reported throughout the literature. For example, they are employed as reactants to produce isocyanate intermediates for pesticides. Oxidative dehydrogenation of formamides to form the corresponding isocyanates is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,207,251 and 537,726. The processes described in those patents and other processes dependent on high temperature reactions involving N-alkylformamides will be improved by the method described herein for inhibiting their premature decomposition. Control of the decomposition problem brings attendant benefits of improved product yields, minimization of byproduct formation, and the like.